Juneteenth kicks off Twin Cities summer

The 25th annual Twin Cities’ Juneteenth celebration takes place Saturday, June 15 at the North Mississippi Regional Park, 5114 North Mississippi Dr., Minneapolis.The festival takes place from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Organizers say as one of the nation’s largest cultural celebrations, the area Juneteenth celebration boasts an estimated attendance of more than 25,000 Minnesotans. This year’s theme is Remembering the Past, to Heal the Present to Succeed in the Future.

Juneteenth is one of the most important cultural celebrations in the nation, as it celebrates June 19, the date that Union soldiers, landed at Galveston, Tex. with news that the Civil War had ended and that the enslaved were now free. This word came two and a half years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, which declared all slaves be freed. Emancipation became official Jan. 1, 1863. The Emancipation Proclamation had little impact on Texans due to the limited number of Union troops in the state who were charged to enforce the executive order.

Communities throughout the United States host Juneteenth events.

The area celebration highlights local Black-owned business and the importance of consumer support of these varied businesses. According to the Selig Center for Economic Growth, African-American’s disposable income increased to nearly $4 billion.

In addition to event vendors, there will be live entertainment, highlighted by musical performances of Ginger Patterson, Kovan Baldwin and spoken word artist, Floeme.

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